a tenant s guide to renting a property aspiresalesandlettings.com
contents welcome 4 Blueprint for successful home searches 5 Choosing the right agent 6 Choosing the right property 7 what s next? Viewings 8 Making an offer 8 the legal stuff Providing your ID 9 Checking references 9 Right to Rent 9 The contract 10 The right protection 11 Moving in 12 Who s responsible 13 contact us 55 Church Lane, Barnwell, Oundle, pe8 5pg 01832 272225 w: aspiresalesandlettings.com e: info@aspiresalesandlettings.com 2 Follow us on Facebook 3
welcome to aspire Aspire Lettings & Property Management prides itself on providing the service all tenants deserve. Founded by Emily Hannan, Aspire offers an incredibly professional service with a distinctly personal touch. Its interactive website also ensures that communication between tenant, agent and landlord is both simplified and speedy with tenants able to remotely contact Aspire and log any queries. Aspire also offers unrivalled client satisfaction underpinned by Emily s national award for her dedication to customer service. Indeed, Emily s has over 15+ years experience in the industry to date also included a seat on the board of non-executive directors for the Guild of Letting and Management. Having lived locally in the village of Barnwell for many years, Emily is able to offer an impressive, highly professional and tailored service with detailed knowledge of the surrounding area. Aspire is a member of The Property Ombudsman, a Propertymark licensed agent and a member of the Guild of Letting and Management and adheres to the industry codes of practice to ensure all property transactions follow the latest regulations. 4 aspire s blueprint for successful home searches online With 90% of prospective tenants starting their home search online, potential properties can be found through a range of online channels, such as on Aspire s own website (aspire-lettings.com) as well as on Rightmove, Zoopla, Prime Location, social media sites and The Peterborough Telegraph online portal. email alerts & live chat Aspire s interactive website boasts a multitude of functioning tools including live chat, property email alerts (as soon as a property is instructed, tenants who have signed up for the alerts know about it before the property goes live on the web) and a community hub page that provides details of local businesses. These tools go a long way in making the overall website visit more pleasurable, innovative and informative. 360-degree tours With its 360-degree virtual tours, floorplans and accurate room sizes, Aspire delivers the crucial tools that provide inside information and a much clearer picture of the property before tenants even step through the door. 5
choosing the right agent It s all about the regulations It is as important to choose the right agent as it is the right property. Regulated agents, such as Aspire, ensure that tenants money is legally safeguarded. Propertymark licensed letting agents have not only undergone the appropriate legal training but have their clients monies audited every year, as well as their own accounts. Putting your deposit in the hands of an unscrupulous and unregulated agent for the duration of your tenancy is a risk. Aspire Lettings is a fully regulated Propertymark licensed agent, so tenants know that both they and their deposits are protected. This regulation also means that Aspire ensures total transparency on fees. The extremely competitive fees are always explained upfront and we are always more than happy to go through them with you at any time. choosing the right property The perfect match Aspire takes considerable time in matching the right tenants to the right properties. To do this, it is important that we know our clients, so we spend a little time getting to know you during our registration process. We already know our landlords and we know what type of tenants they are looking for so it s just a case of finding the perfect match! We listen carefully to our tenants specific requirements and we will only contact you regarding properties that accurately reflect your criteria and budget. ASPIRE LETTINGS IS A fully REGULATED PROPERTMARK LICENSED AGENT, SO TENANTS KNOW THEY ARE PROTECTED 6 7
what s next? viewings Prior to any viewing, Aspire will confirm all the property details with you, discuss the Right to Rent scheme and clarify prereference checks. We want to ensure you understand what is required from our referencing company LetsXL. This helps to minimise any potential issues that may come after you have put forward an offer. making an offer When you find the right property, you need to make a formal offer to the landlord via Aspire. This will include your proposed date of occupation, who the property is for, your employment details, the length of tenancy and any other information that the landlord requires, such as whether you have pets, whether your are a smoker or non-smoker, if you have children, if you require a break clause mid-tenancy, or need a satellite dish. It is crucial at this stage that everything is raised and discussed with the landlord to ensure that there are no disappointed parties. If your offer is accepted, you will need to pay a holding deposit and agent s fees. Visit the fees section on our website for more information. aspire works with an independent referencing company that completes all the relevant checks proof positive providing your id Subject to contract and satisfactory references, all the proposed tenants and adult occupants, and guarantors if required, will need to provide proof of identity with a passport or current photo driving licence, plus a recent utility bill from their current address. If you require a Visa or official permission to reside in the UK, you must provide evidence for this. checking references All Aspire s tenants have to provide references. These are requested and gathered by an independent referencing company who will need an application form completed with information from prospective tenants on previous residences and landlords, if any, as well as details on income. It is essential to complete the form speedily, accurately and in detail and Download a full guide on the Right to Rent rules from aspire-lettings.com The company will then produce a report for the landlord detailing these references, so the landlord has the opportunity to approve them. In some cases, a guarantor may be required and, if so Aspire will advise of the next steps. Aspire works with LetsXL, an independent referencing company that completes all its reference checks and offers insurance products to both landlords and tenants. right to rent The Government has introduced new Right to Rent rules under the s22 Immigration Act 2016, which places a legal duty on all landlords to check that every tenant has the right to reside in the UK. You will need to provide Aspire with the documents that prove your nationality and the right to rent a property in the UK. A full guide on tenants Right to Rent rules alert potential referees as they will be contacted. can be downloaded from aspire-lettings.com. 8 9
all in the contract assured shorthold tenancy Your contract is known as an Assured Shorthold Tenancy (AST). The actual length of tenancy and contractual clauses may vary. Aspire typically offers a minimum of six months and a maximum of 12 months tenancy to begin with, together with an option to renew after the initial term. This is subject to the individual landlord s agreement as, on some occasions, landlords may agree for contracts to be granted for a shorter or a longer period. joint & several liability Tenants who are sharing with others need to ensure they understand that they are jointly and severally liable. Most tenancy agreements state that there is Joint and Several Liability. This means that each adult named on the tenancy agreement is a tenant and is responsible for all the rent and all the property, on their own and as a group. If your friend leaves and does not pay the rent, the landlord can legally look to you to pay any outstanding amount. Likewise, if your co-tenant damages the property, the landlord could legally ask you to pay or compensate him to repair/replace the item damaged or lost. aspire offers six or 12 months tenancy to begin with and an option to renew PROTEction is the key deposit Aspire Lettings is a member of the Deposit Protection Scheme (DPS), a Government-run custodial scheme which holds the deposit until the end of the tenancy. Within 30 days of the start of your tenancy, you will receive either prescribed information explaining the DPS scheme, providing you with an individual PIN number from Aspire Lettings or the landlord, or a registration certificate if the landlord has registered the deposit in a separate scheme. insurance Under the terms of the tenancy agreement, the landlord should insure the property and his or her own contents. The landlord will not provide insurance to cover the tenants personal items or furniture. Aspire strongly recommends all tenants take out content insurance to coincide with the start of the tenancy, as stipulated in the contract. 10 11
ready for occupation When can I move in? The date of occupation is agreed in the original offer to let. This is a date that the landlord and Aspire work towards to ensure the property is ready for occupation, after completing any necessary works and safety checks. If a property is vacant, landlords can offer occupation as quickly as 48 hours later (two working days), subject to satisfactory references, safety checks, clearance of funds and a completed inventory. Please note that, if an offer to let is agreed and the time between the offer and the move-in date is longer than 28 days, then Right to Rent documentation will be required again. CHECK-IN, CHECK-OUT It is recommended that an inventory is taken of the property, contents and condition at the start of the tenancy. All tenants are asked to attend the checking of this inventory to ensure it is accurate and are given a copy of the report once it has been completed. It is very important this document is correct because it will be used to assess any deductions from your deposit at the end of the tenancy. Any property that is managed by Aspire Lettings & Property Management will have an independent inventory clerk attend who is a member of the Association of Independent Inventory Clerks (AIIC) and he or she will also complete the check-in and check-out at the property. WHAT YOU are LIABLE FOR cleaning If it has been agreed that the landlord will present the property professionally cleaned, you will be required to professionally clean the property including the carpets and windows to the same standard when the tenancy ends. utilities Unless otherwise stated, the tenant is liable for gas/oil, electric, water and Council Tax, but in addition to this, the tenant is also liable for normal household bills such as the TV licence, phone and sometimes gardening upkeep costs. If there is an open fire, the landlord will have the chimney(s) swept in time for the change in seasons and upon its anniversary of a year or, if you vacate the property prior to that, you will need to organise for the chimney to be swept. ALL TENANTS ARE ASKED TO ATTEND THE INVENTORY CHECK in AND ARE GIVEN A COPY OF THE REPORT WHO MAINTAiNS THE PROPERTY? aspire s responsibilities If Aspire has been appointed managing agent, any maintenance issues are dealt with directly by us. Aspire s website boasts a tenants online log-in facility enabling tenants to report a maintenance issue online at any time, 24/7. One of Aspire s fully vetted and qualified contractors will then attend as soon as possible during normal working hours. On a let-only or rent-collection service level, tenants liaise directly with the landlord. landlord s responsibilities Landlords are responsible for repairs to: the structure and exterior of the building, such as the walls, roof, external doors and windows the sinks, baths, toilets and other sanitary fittings, including pipes and drains the heating and hot water all gas appliances, pipes, flues and ventilation the electrical wiring The landlord may be responsible for repairing or replacing faulty items or appliances in the property if they were provided to you at the start of your tenancy: for example, fridges and washing machines. You will need to check the tenancy agreement for details. 16 12 13
been inspired? then register with aspire A605 Castle View Church A605 aspire Aspire Lettings & Property Management 55 Church Lane, Barnwell, Oundle, Peterborough PE8 5PG 01832 272225 w: aspiresalesandlettings.com e: info@aspiresalesandlettings.com